Writing Guidelines - #MyositisLIFE

Writing Guidelines

Myositis Support and Understanding is launching #MyositisLIFE to allow people with myositis and caregivers a space to share their experiences through writing, videos, memes, and images. We encourage you to submit!

If you want to submit via email rather than using the website, we can help you do so! You can email office@understandingmyositis.org your submission.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions can be video, stories, memes, or images. We welcome short posts as well as longer responses.

To submit, review the following:

Submitters are required to register on the #MyositisLIFE website. We prefer you post under your full name, but contact us if you’d like to be published under a “guest author” so the post is anonymized.

All submissions should have a clear connection to myositis and your #MyositisLIFE

All submissions have the option to include an image that will be used as a featured image for the submission. For more information on submitting images for your post, see the submitting images section towards the end.

Select whether this submission is a patient experience or a caregiver experience.

Select 2-3 tags that represent your story. Tags are more specific keywords that can organize posts by topic. You can include words like “polymyositis,” “dermatomyositis,” or “mental health.” We may also add some tags after you submit to us.

Select a title that represents your post and write a very short summary or excerpt (about 50 characters), of what your submission is about. Editors may change this if needed to better highlight on the website.

General Reminders about Posting on #MyositisLIFE

Remember that anything published on the #MyositisLIFE website is public, and if you include your full name, it will be searchable on the internet. Consider your privacy and the privacy of your loved ones when submitting!

Make sure your contribution is respectful and doesn’t focus on one person’s actions and thoughts negatively. Always consider how to address negative interactions constructively. For example, if you had a bad interaction with a doctor or a medical practice, consider ways that they could improve rather than focusing on their negative actions.

We reserve the right to not post content that could beconsidered offensive in any way. Submissions are subject to approval by the moderators of the website

Submitting Stories:

Stories are short essays (250 words is encouraged, but you can write up to 600 words) and poems based on the topic prompts. They should be true, rather than fictional. Remember the following:

Stories should not be too long. If it is over 600 words, editors might need to shorten it.

Stories should clearly connect to myositis and your experience with it.

Submit your story in the text box. Format it how you want it to appear on the website. Depending on the submission, editors may make some minor changes to improve readability. This includes adding paragraph breaks, correcting typos, and revising for spelling errors and basic grammar.

If you are using evidence, please include a link to the source(s) you are using. If you include factual information with no link for the editors to verify, we may not be able to publish it. Please use reputable sources when writing for #MyositisLIFE.

Submitting Videos:

We encourage you to submit a video! To submit successfully, do the following:

Videos should be submitted as YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, or Vine links.

Short videos are welcome! A suggested length for the video is 2-3 minutes, with 5 minutes max.

Please include the title of your video, 2-3 tags, and a short description of how it connects to your experiences with myositis. Some of these may be edited after submission.

Submitting Memes:

Memes are quickly made images that include text. They are able to be changed and shared easily online. You can create your own memes through the #MyositisLIFE website.

To submit a meme, consider the following:

Copyright may apply to some images found outside of the #MyositisLIFE website. This may prohibit us from publishing certain posts. For more information about submitting an image and giving credit to the original artist, see the submitting images section.

Include a title, 2-3 tags, and a brief description of how your meme connects to myositis.

Submitting Images:

Images are welcome! These can be photos of you and your life, or they can be photos of artwork you create. Remember:

Images should be submitted as png, jpg, or gif files.

Images should not include nudity and offensive symbols. Editors reserve the right to reject images that include offensive symbols or hate speech.

If there are multiple people in your image, consider getting their permission before sharing.

Image submissions must include a title, 2-3 tags, and a short description of how the image connects to #MyositisLIFE

If you are using a photo that you do not own, click the “via” checkbox and enter the URL and author of the photo to give credit. See frequently asked questions for more information on this. If you are using an image not created by you, and you can’t provide a link, we may not be able to publish it.